Feb. 19, 2014
Game Notes | Listen Live! | | Live Video
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team will play its final non-conference game of the season on Wednesday night as the Hawks are set for action against New Jersey Institute of Technology at 7 p.m. The game is the final of three consecutive for UMES, who will be playing its sixth home game since the beginning of February.
The Hawks (4-19, 2-9 MEAC) hold a 2-0 record all-time against NJIT. The two teams have not played each other in over five years as the last contest between the pair was in 2008. In UMES' first game that season against the Highlanders, the Hawks defeated NJIT, 45-42, to secure the first ever win of the Frankie Allen era. The points scored by NJIT were the lowest allowed by a Hawk squad under Allen to date. UMES holds a +10 scoring margin in the games.
Senior Troy Snyder (Chicago, Ill.) has been fantastic in February. The forward is averaging 8.0 rebounds-per-game and 16.8 points-per-game in six games this month. He has scored 12 points in all but one game in February, including a career-high 34 in UMES' 20-point come-from-behind victory over Howard on Homecoming. Junior KyRee Jones (Indianapolis, Ind.) returns from a sickness, while freshman Hakeem Baxter (Philadelphia, Pa.) and senior Francis Ezeiru (Enugu, Nigeria) look to get past injuries sustained in Saturday's loss against Morgan State.
UMES is averaging 63.9 ppg but have scored 70 points in each of their past two games. The Hawks have put together 50-point halves twice in the past two games and have a +20 scoring margin at home this season.
NJIT is 11-15 on the year. The Highlanders have picked up several noteworthy road wins this season, including victories at Army, New Hampshire and Maine. NJIT is averaging 72.0 ppg this year and hold a +1.3 scoring margin over its opponents. Damon Lynn is the top scorer with 16.8 ppg and Tim Coleman leads in blocks-per-game (0.85) and steal-per-game (0.92). Terrence Smith is scoring 12.1 ppg, but is seventh in the NCAA with a 60.7-percent clip from the field. A victory in the game would give NJIT its most road wins in a season since it became a Division I program.
Let's check out a few game notes of today' contest.
- LAST TIME OUT: UMES was no match for Morgan State in the paint on Monday night as the Hawks were defeated by the Bears, 88-72, at the Hytche. UMES' 72 points in the game was sparked by a 50-point second-half, where the Hawks notched 70 points against the Bears for just the third time in the past 11 meetings. UMES has now lost three straight to Morgan State
- MATCHUP AGAINST NJIT: UMES leads the all-time series record, 2-0, vs .NJIT. UMES' 46-42 victory on Jan. 28, 2008 was the first victory for Frankie Allen at UMES. The 42-points in the game by NJIT were the lowest allowed by a UMES team in the Frankie Allen era. The Hawks hold a +10 scoring advantage in the two games, both of which were at home
- SNYDER WITH THE HOT HAND IN FEBRUARY: Troy Snyder is averaging8.0 rpg and 16.8 ppg in the past six games (all in February). Snyder has atleast six rebounds in each of the past seven games, including 44 over the past five. Snyder has scored atleast 12 points in all but one game this month
- HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS: UMES holds a +20 scoring advantage at home this season with all four wins at the W.P. Hytche Center. The team is shooting 44.7 FG%, nearly 10 points higher than on the road (35.2%). UMES has shot atleast 40% in five of the past six home games
- EPIC COMEBACK WIN ON HOMECOMING: UMES' 87-73 victory over Howard on Homecoming was the biggest comeback win in over a decade. Troy Snyder had career-highs in points (34) and assists (5) to help UMES overcome a 20-point deficit. The Hawks had 59 points in the second-half, most from a Hawk unit in a frame since 2003 (vs. FAMU, 70 pts)
For complete recaps, results and news of Hawk athletics, please visit www.umeshawks.com
